Land of Fire.
Border region near the Land of Earth, inside a mountain valley.
The valley had long since lost its usual tranquility. The sky was thick with dense swarms of black insects. From ti to ti, Fire Style ninjutsu attempted to incinerate them, only to be smothered by the sheer volu of the swarm as the insects devoured the chakra within the flas.
Surrounding the valley, eight mbers of the Abura clan, dressed in high-collared street style, had the area completely encircled.
"D-Zone, Coordinate 28 resolved."
After a short while, the captain reported the situation to Konoha. The valley had been completely transford, leaving behind nothing but the grisly remains of the enemy.
Land of Fire, A-Zone 48.
"Super Fang Wolf Fang!"
A massive three-headed hound transford into a hurricane, descending from the heavens.
Boom!
It slamd directly into the Akatsuki outpost. The vast majority of the subordinates stationed there were wiped out in a single strike. Those who attempted to flee were cut down by traps laid by other Konoha shinobi.
The giant wolf vanished, leaving behind a man with the signature facial markings of the Inuzuka clan.
"Lord Go, it is finished. The ninja hounds can no longer pick up the scent of the enemy."
"Understood. Report the intel back to command," Inuzuka Go nodded.
Land of Fire, C-Zone 12.
"Flash Array!"
A violent burst of light instantly elongated the shadows of several Nara clan ninjas, allowing them to snare and immobilize every enemy in sight.
"Human Bullet Tank!"
From different directions, several massive, spinning wheels barreled toward the restrained enemies.
Thud! Thud!
They were instantly flattened into at pies.
In other locations, countless enemies were reduced to mangled flesh under the Hyuga's Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm. Even hidden snipers attempting ambushes were neutralized instantly by the clan's vision.
"Combined Ninjutsu: Ash Pile Burning!"
Several Sarutobi clan ninjas unleashed the jutsu simultaneously, flooding a heavily fortified cave. A spark ignited the cloud.
Rumble!
The entire cave collapsed, the mountain peak itself sinking a foot into the earth.
Capital of the Land of Fire.
At a certain shop selling military supplies...
"I didn't expect the Akatsuki's influence to penetrate even the Capital. What an impressive organization," Takeutchi Tensho remarked. He ordered his n to surround the area while he lit a cigarette and flicked the ash.
The Konoha Guards then sealed the entire sector with Earth Style.
"Fire! Combined Ninjutsu: Earth Style: Mountain Smasher!"
"Summoning Augntation: Emperor Penguin No. 3!"
"Fire Style: Firebird Weather Vane!"
"Secret Art: Demon God's Million-Ton Punch!"
A flock of purple penguins flying through the sky broke the backs of nurous enemies. Flaming birds swept through the ranks like living predators. A massive Demon God phantom shattered the enemy's barrier with a single fist.
"Wind Style: Shinatobe!"
In a hidden location within a volcanic region, a massive palace descended from the sky. It was a structure composed entirely of wind. The gale-force winds within destroyed the hidden barriers, the all-pervading chakra leaving the enemy with nowhere to hide.
"I swear to revitalize the Hagoromo clan," Hagoromo Ken muttered, his resolve hardening after assisting his Konoha comrades in breaking the barrier. The few remaining young mbers of his clan were back in the village working hard to repopulate. He had taken this mission specifically to accelerate the clan's rise. With the imnse chakra reserves of the Hagoromo bloodline and nearly ten years of ninja experience, he had finally mastered his clan's true power.
Central Land of Fire.
Ino sat at the center of a massive sensory barrier, surrounded by ninjas maintaining the seal. She utilized the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques to remotely coordinate the movents and strength of her comrades.
Beside her, Shikamaru analyzed every report she relayed, constantly adjusting the troops' deploynts. Both had reached the level of mature, professional shinobi. The scale of the operation reflected Tsunade's serious stance toward the Akatsuki; this was the posture of a village preparing for war.
Land of Earth, Tsuchikage's Office.
Onoki stretched his back, only for a loud crack to ring out, causing his eyes to bulge in pain.
"Tsuchikage-sama!" Akatsuchi rushed to support him.
"Really now... these Akatsuki fellows are getting active. Konoha is taking this far too seriously, even suggesting an alliance between the Five Nations," Onoki grumbled. "But she's right; we can't let them keep collecting Tailed Beasts. However, a full alliance is unnecessary."
Onoki recalled the ssage from Konoha. While the Akatsuki were indeed a nuisance, forming a coalition would make Iwagakure a laughingstock. They would solve their own problems.
"But Lord Tsuchikage, we've recently lost track of Han and Roshi. I'm afraid..." Akatsuchi muttered.
"Silence! Listen to —until it is absolutely necessary, we will not cooperate with those Leaf bastards!" Onoki slamd the table.
Crack! (His back went again.)
Land of Water.
Elder Genji listened to the reports with a trembling fra. If not for his cane, he surely would have collapsed.
"Elder Genji, Utakata's master, Harusa, has already led a team to find him. We hope they can bring him back. If he encounters the Akatsuki first..." Terumi i trailed off. As a high-ranking official of Kiri, she feared the Six-Tails falling into enemy hands.
"I hope Harusa can persuade Utakata. It's a tragedy that Harusa's attempt at the Rebirth Technique was so rushed; he didn't communicate with Utakata, leading the boy to believe his master was trying to kill him!"
Terumi i had only recently learned the truth. Harusa hadn't wanted his pupil to face the dangers of being a Jinchuriki and had created a jutsu to extract the beast while keeping the host alive. Though the cost was high, it was done out of love. Unfortunately, the lack of communication led Utakata to believe his master viewed him as a dangerous monster that needed to be eliminated.
Genji sighed. "Though the reasons for a full alliance with Konoha are insufficient, the Akatsuki truly threaten Kirigakure. Since the village has moved past the 'Bloody Mist' era and begun its recovery, we can at least exchange intelligence on the Akatsuki with them."
"Will they agree? To exchange intel without a formal alliance? Konoha risked lives to obtain that data," Ao said, standing beside i.
"That depends on whether Konoha truly believes the Akatsuki is a threat to the entire world," Genji replied. At 90 years old—eleven years older than Onoki—he was a rare "old monster." Though his body was frail, his mind was sharp. A full alliance wouldn't happen until the Akatsuki presented an undeniable existential threat.
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